lifter tick?

[harofreak00]

Is this lifter tick or something else? almost sounds like an exhaust leak, but I can't feel anything.

[Bob Dillon]

Andrew: It's in the valve train. Pull the cover and see if a pushrod is bent. If not, it's the lifter. I'd bet a lifter's collapsed or the inlet port on the lifter is plugged up.

Definitely not exhaust.

[harofreak00]

Ya I suppose, it definately gets quieter when the car warms up. How detrimental is it? Absoluetely necessary that I fix it before I sell the car? A pushrod would be easy, but I would have to remove the entire top end to get the lifter out.

Could this cause any runability issues? or loss of power?

Why can't it be in the front bank!!!!!!! ugh

[Bob Dillon]

If it's not running roughly it's not going to hurt anything until it finally pukes. The engine would roughen up considerably if the lifter was collapsed because the valve wouldn't be opening.

How does it run?

[harofreak00]

Its not running good. It idles ok, other than the noise, but it has no power.

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 52#p119352

Do you suggest pulling the rear cover first, or just digging into the top end and get it over with?

[Bob Dillon]

Its not running good. It idles ok, other than the noise, but it has no power.

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 52#p119352

Do you suggest pulling the rear cover first, or just digging into the top end and get it over with?

CEL on? That should tell you which cylinder it is.

I'd pull the covers and run the engine at idle. Next, carefully put your finger atop each rocker arm. You'll feel the difference for the bad lifter-it will pound instead of push. You can inspect visually for a bent pushrod at the same time.

I'd just replace that one if you're selling the car. They're rollers lifters, a used one should be OK.

[harofreak00]

I didn't get a chance to read your last post before starting the work. I started with the rear cover.

There is no CEL. The plugs I pulled out all looked the same.

I didn't see anything obvious on the rear. Too bad I can't start the car like this, but too much stuff is disconnected.



Front cover next?

[Blownville]

I think you would be able to tell if you pull each rocker and look at the pushrod. If one is beaten then you know which one it is.

[harofreak00]

I hooked up all the vacuum lines and MAP sensors so I could start the car again.

I also removed the front cover.

I put my finger directly on the rocker while it was moving and didn't feel anything drastically different between all 12 rockers. What am I missing? Would a stethascope work good here? I'd have to buy one.

I don't really want to remove the rockers as those bolts are TTY and I don't have any around.

[Bob Dillon]

Do you have a mechanic's stethoscope? I'd put it on each rocker arm and I think the bad lifter will be very apparent.

I'm familiar with mechanicals in general, but I've never torn down a 3800 before. Can't you just pull the rocker arm shaft and replace the bad set of lifters? That would certainly be faster and easier than removing the front cover.

[harofreak00]

by front cover I meant front valve cover.

The pushrod can be replaced by just removing the rocker, but the lifters need to come out of the lifter valley, so the SC and LIM would need to come off.

I'll try to make a stethoscope here quick.

[Bob Dillon]

by front cover I meant front valve cover.

The pushrod can be replaced by just removing the rocker, but the lifters need to come out of the lifter valley, so the SC and LIM would need to come off.

I'll try to make a stethoscope here quick.

A very long screwdriver will work.

[edited to add] If you can't feel or hear a bad lifter, then I'd say it's not too bad yet. I once drive a Datsun 280Z with a tick that bad for over 50K miles and it was still running when I sold it.

Maybe the thing to do is shovel it back together and take a small hit on the price.

[harofreak00]

I used a long flat blade screwdriver as my stethoscope. All the rockers sounded exactly the same. I'm really not sure what to do next.

I got a good smoke show going on also, with all the oil dripping onto the hot exhaust manifolds.

[Bob Dillon]

I used a long flat blade screwdriver as my stethoscope. All the rockers sounded exactly the same. I'm really not sure what to do next.

I got a good smoke show going on also, with all the oil dripping onto the hot exhaust manifolds.

I guess it's not bad enough to feel yet. Sure sounds like it should be. How rough is it running, anyway? Could something else be wrong?

[harofreak00]

Just saw your edit. I guess I'll put it back together and live with it.

You can see in the video that all the rockers are moving, therefore all the valves are opening, so what would it run bad? Must be another issue.

If the lifter tick was so bad that you could hear it with the hood shut, and you can definately hear it in the video, why wouldn't I be able to hear it with the stethoscope?

Here is a video of it driving. It just doesn't have the power it should.

[Blownville]

Are you positive it's not the EM gasket? If it was leaking right at the head wouldn't it sound like that?

[harofreak00]

Are you positive it's not the EM gasket? If it was leaking right at the head wouldn't it sound like that?

No, I'm not positive. The only method I have to test is by feel. I can't feel any leaks. It sound more like its coming from the crossover, but its hard to tell.

[Bob Dillon]

That definitely sounds like a metallic click to me, not exhaust. Maybe someone else can chim in.

[Blownville]

What if there was a hole in under that shield? I have never opened one up so maybe? Just a suggestion. What about the donut where the two meet maybe?




Edit: I agree Bob but I wouldn't rule it out completely.

[Jrs3800]

It sounds like an exhaust leak to me... But as stated above I would not rule out a bad lifter